Iraq hostage tells of mock execution ordeal

Thu Mar 11 2010 21:12:00

Former hostage Peter Moore has spoken of his ordeal at the hands of insurgents in Iraq.

The computer expert, who was abducted with his four bodyguards in Iraq in May 2007, was released in December after two and a half years in captivity.

The bodies of three of his bodyguards - Alec MacLachlan, 30, from Llanelli, South Wales, Jason Swindlehurst, 38, from Skelmersdale, Lancashire, and Jason Creswell, 39, originally from Glasgow - were passed to UK authorities last year. A fourth bodyguard, Alan McMenemy, 34, from Glasgow, is also believed to have been killed.

Mr Moore, 36, from Lincoln, told Channel 4 News he was blindfolded and a gun fired behind his head.

He said: "They handcuff me behind my back, blindfold me, walk me out into another room, and they kneel me down. They cock a pistol. They put it to my head. They pull the trigger and at the same time they fire a gun off behind my back.

"Obviously, I thought the gun had gone off. I remember very clearly, I sat there with my hands behind my back. I was blindfolded looking down... I remember thinking... 'OK, I'm dead'."

© Independent Television News Limited 2009. All rights reserved.